1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to conduit connections. More specifically, this invention relates to a cantilevered conduit connection, wherein an anti-cantilever fastener is used to counteract the inherent cantilever effect of the connection and thereby improve the fit of the connection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cantilevered conduit connections have been used in the fluid components industry for at least a decade. Essentially, cantilevered conduit connections are typified by a connecting body for a single conduit that is fastened to another component at only one end of the body by a single fastener. They are further typified by a conduit mounted through a conduit passage parallel to the fastener passage at a conduit end opposite the fastener end. Such cantilevered conduit connections are frequently used for high volume applications since they are quickly and easily torqued down using a power tool.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,279 to Hayashi illustrates a typical cantilevered conduit connection. Hayashi teaches use of a pipe inserted into a pump body where a flange on the pipe is sandwiched between a mating surface of the pump body and a hold-down plate. The hold-down plate has a recess for circumscribing the flange of the pipe at one end and a fastener mounting through the plate and into the pump body at an opposite end. Despite the productivity benefits, the cantilever effect is a major drawback to using this type of connection. The cantilever is defined in part by the distance between the centerline of the fastener and the centerline of the conduit. As the conduit body is fastened down to another component, the cantilever results in significantly less hold-down force at the conduit end of the connecting body than at the fastening end.
For example, FIGS. 1 through 3 illustrate a typical cantilevered conduit connection 10P of the prior art having several deficiencies, including: non-parallel mating surfaces 12P, an exaggerated gap 14P at a conduit end 16P of the conduit connection 10P, and a conduit 20 misaligned within a conduit port 18P, revealing an insufficiently compressed seal member 80P. The above deficiencies are all a result of insufficient hold-down force Ffp at the conduit end 16P due to the cantilever effect. These deficiencies all lead to systemic failure in the form of fluid leakage of the connection 10P and consequent fluid starvation of other system components.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,794 to Schulz-Hausmann et al. discloses a conduit connection including a securing plate that is bent upwardly away from a housing to which the securing plate is secured by several fasteners. Further, Schulz-Hausmann et al. teach that the securing plate is bent in order to provide a rest for engaging a flange on a conduit. Schulz-Hausmann et al. further teach that the securing plate configuration provides a longer lever arm extending away from the housing to improve the ratio of the lever arms having an influence on the contact force. It is, however, unclear from the disclosure in Schulz-Hausmann et al. specifically what lever arm, ratio, or contact force is being described and how it might relate to the novelty of the invention. Furthermore, the Schulz-Hausmann et al. reference is directed to the downsizing of vacuum-tight conduit connections and does not address the problems with a cantilevered conduit connection that are described above.
Therefore, there remains a need to provide an improved cantilevered conduit connection that squarely aligns to a fluid component by incorporating an anti-cantilever feature to counteract the inherent imbalance in hold-down force across the connection.
According to the present invention there is provided a cantilevered conduit connection that incorporates an anti-cantilever feature to counteract the inherent imbalance in hold-down force across the connection and thereby squarely align the connection to a fluid component. The cantilevered conduit connection includes a connecting block that circumscribes the conduit and mounts to the fluid component. An anti-cantilever fastener mounts on the connecting block and includes a cusp portion in contact with the connecting block for urging the connecting block flat against the fluid component and for positioning the conduit squarely within the fluid component. Also, a device for fastening the anti-cantilever fastener and connecting block to the fluid component is provided. Preferably, the connecting block has a U-shape passage for circumscribing the conduit.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an anti-cantilever fastener that squarely aligns a cantilevered conduit connection by counteracting the inherent imbalance in hold-down force in a cantilevered conduit connection.
It is another object of this invention to improve the fit of a cantilevered conduit connection.
It is yet another object of this invention to distribute hold-down force more equally across a cantilevered conduit connection.
It is still another object of this invention to improve the sealing quality of a cantilevered conduit connection and maintain deflection of the connection to a minimum.
These objects and other features, aspects, and advantages of this invention will be more apparent after a reading of the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.